dawning of spring (karlxoc)

𝑡𝑤𝑜

@/jadeiskindacool
good morning. i hate everything.

📍GREENVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

The piercing sound of my alarm jolts me awake causing me to sit up quickly. I take in my surroundings. Yup, this is my room – I wasn't kidnapped. My sheer white curtains are still elegantly hanging in front of the big open window, hiding the modest sunrise that is currently composing. My half-dead plants are still scattered around the corners of my bedroom with the green and brown leaves pleasantly complimenting my light grey – almost white – walls.

I rub my eyes tiredly to the point where they almost start to burn.

"meow"

After regaining my vision I see Leo, my cat, staring at me with his sage-colored eyes.

"Well good morning to you sir," I say while gently picking him up. As he sat in my lap, I stroked his soft orange and white fur.

When I was young, my parents and I lived in a van. The van was cluttered with tapestries, records, plants, and lots of weird little things you find at thrift stores these days. My parents owned a coffee shop in New York City, but it was hard to get business and rent was too high, so we migrated to Florida – that didn't work either. After that, we decided to go to good old North Carolina.

(FLASHBACK)

📍ORLANDO, FLORIDA

We're almost there. Just a few more hours of driving.

It was hot outside. And I mean HOT. The kind of hot where your skin feels like it's burning the second you step out, and the humidity where you think you're going to suffocate. If anyone were to step out onto the burning concrete barefoot, they would be hopping around frantically. The thought of this made me giggle.

We pull up to a worn-down-looking gas station. My parents instructed me to get myself a treat from inside – they were probably just sick of hearing my constant complaining. The building was made of big bricks that were painted white on the outside, some of the paint chipping off.

I walk in through the doors greeted by the ding and the aroma of chips, soda, candy, and cigarettes. I browse the selection of goods. I usually go for the gummy worms, or maybe some Cheetos. After walking down the candy aisle, not being intrigued by anything, I see the vibrant liquid being churned in a plastic dome. A slushie. My mouth waters at the sight. The bright colors of blue, pink, and red mesmerize me and lure me into a stare.

There was a boy about my age standing by the large machines. Although, he's looking at the watermelon flavor. He clearly hasn't fallen into the trap of "watermelon" flavored treats.

"Hey kid, pro tip, don't get watermelon" I comment. He quickly turns around to look at me. "Really? But it's literally watermelon flavor how can you resist?" "It's fake, trust me. Once you taste it you start to think your life is a lie" I stare at him blankly.

"Oh well, it doesn't matter. My mom won't let me get one anyway. She already said no."

I step next to him to grab myself a plastic cup, while also handing him one. He looked up at me in confusion.

"It's on me, kid." I fill up my plastic cup with the vibrant blue slush labeled, "Blue Razzle Dazzle". "I'll get in trouble though", He says with a sigh. "Well," I shrug, "you're going to get in trouble at some point today, might as well get in trouble with a slushie".

He stares at me again before simply shrugging. Before I could stop him, he turns the lever releasing the pink slush. Watermelon.

The boy and I walk up to the counter, I paid, as promised.

We walk out together through the front doors, back into the summer heat. "So, what's your name?" I ask.

"Clay"

"Cool! I'm Jade."

"Hey, do you want a cat?"

"What?"

"My family is selling baby kittens; would you like one?"

I was taken aback by the question. My parents would never let me get a cat. But I followed Clay to the box of kittens anyway.

There were about 4 kittens happily relaxing in the cardboard box. They were adorable. All of them had unique colors and patterns. I wasn't really drawn to any of them except for a smaller orange and white kitten that was curled up in the corner of the box.

"What about that one? Can I hold her?" I say, pointing to the smaller kitten.

"That's a boy."

"Oh, my bad."

"It's fine, you can check if you'd like."

"No thanks. I believe you."

We both giggle at my mistake.

I sat down on the green grass that probably needed mowing and allowed Clay to gently set the kitten into my lap.

I instantly fell in love with this creature.

(still flashback)

And here I was, in the back of my van, taking care of a kitten that my parents had no idea about. I decided to name him Leo, after my zodiac sign. I don't know much about the signs but my parents talk about them a lot, and the name seemed fitting.

After only an hour or so Leo escaped from my room at lighting speed. I ran after him, but he was too fast for my little legs. My mom was taking her turn driving, while my dad on the other hand was popping a handful of sunflower seeds into his mouth.

Leo jumped on everything and got stuck on some of the tapestries. Records and CDS were knocked off the shelves, and album cover posters were barely even on the wall anymore. It was chaotic, to say the least. My parents were surprisingly happy about the kitten. They knew that I had been feeling lonely as I am an only child.

After all that it was just me, Leo, and the breeze blowing through the open windows.

"what a wonderful scene
         there was such a nice breeze"

- - -

(A/N this chapter is HEAVILY inspired by the book, "The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise". So credits to the author ily <333)